6.3.2 Search activity - Searching for pharmaceutical patents: Viagra®

In this search activity, you are required to find patents relating to Viagra®, a registered drug for the treatment of erectile dysfunction in males. Find the active ingredient; the owner; the inventors; any family members, and any citing patents.

Also see if you can find an earlier use for the drug.

Step Description of step

Model answer

1 What clues do you have?

The brand name is Viagra®, a registered drug for treating erectile dysfunction, which in the US therefore must have FDA approval.

2 What resources do you have?

GoogleOr (preferably) go to the to the FDA orange book site

and search for ‘Viagra’

3 What is the active in-gredient of Viagra, and who is the owner?

The active ingredient is Sildenafil Citrate; and the owner is Pfizer.4 Click on the

application number NO20895, and then on Patents and Exclusivity In-formation

The patent number given is US64690125 Go to Espa-

cenet and find out more about the pat-ent

Title: Pyrazolopyrimidinones for the treatment of impotence

Inventors: Ellis and Bell

6 Find any fam-ily members by clicking on the title and then on IN-PADOC pat-ent family

..

There are 35 family members

7 Find any pat-ents that cited US6469012

8 Find the Pf-izer patent with the earli-est priority date which relates to Via-gra. What was the Via-gra used for?

Search for Pfizer and Pyrazolopyrimidinone

Results:

9 Select num-ber (7) as this has the earli-est priority date

Here the medical condition treated is angina.